Island



Dec. 4 1923.

G. P. BOSWORTH STOCKING AND'METHOD or MAKING SAME Filed July 27. 1922 li 'ys.

Inveni'o? fieorgeffloswo 10 like characters on the Patented Dec. 4, 192$ GEORGE r. sosw'onrn, or CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOB T HEMPHILL COMPANY, or CENTRAL FALLS, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION or massacmr- SETTS.

STOCKING AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME.

Application filed July 27, 1922. Serial No. 577,871.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. BOSWORTH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Central Falls, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented an Improvement in Stockings and Methods of Making Same, of which the following description, in connection with 'the accompanying drawings, is a specificat on, drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to stockings and to the method of making the same. In order that the principle of the invention may be readily-understood, I have disclosed in the drawing certain embodiments of the 1nven'- tion and will describe the best mode known to me for practising the same. In the draw- 1n I ig. 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the lower part of the stocking of a slightly modified construction; and

F ig. 3 is a similar view of another sllghtly modified construction.

Referring first to that form of my invention shown in Fig. 1, the stocking may be begun at the top 1 ofthe leg or at the top 2 of the toe. I will first describe the stocking as knitted beginning at the top 1 of the leg upon a circular series of needles WlllCh may be of any type, but which preferably are spring beard needles mounted for independent reciprocation in the grooves of the needle cylinder of any suitable machine, such, for example, as a Banner machine adapted to knit split foot stockings, but equipped with means to effect the special operations hereinafter set forth. VV 1th1n the scope of my invention, said operat1ons may be practised manually; Any suitable number of needles may be employed and the relative numbers used in making the different parts may be varied. The numbers herelnafter given are by way of example merely.

It will be assumed that the knitting is commenced upon a circle of 240 needles and is continued down by rotary knitting until a line A, A, A is reached, which when the stocking is in the machine is a transverse line, but which after the stocking is removed from the machine and washed and boarded assumes a direction indicated on Fig. 1. i The the pointed heel.

action while permitting to retain their loops instep needles while left hand end of the said line viewing Fig. 1 corresponds substantially to the apex of I thereupon throw out of the front half of the needles or so-called instep-needles about 120 in number, in the present example, and at the same time throw out of actionon each side of the back half of the needles 48 needles in the present example, extending from the point 3 to the point A on the side of the stocking shown and of similar extent upon the other side of the stocking. This leaves in action according to the present example about 24 needles. I then knit reciprocatingly upon said 24 needles and widen by bringing into action an additional needle at each end of the active series, thus effecting a widening from the point 3 t0 the point A. This creates a gore 5 which is an integral continuation of the tubularly knit .portion of the stocking. Desirably when I begin to knit the gore 5, I introduce or substitute a high splice yarn, and I also desirably shorten the stitch length for the entire ankle portion, so as somewhat to shape the stocking in this way. When the bottom of the triangular or pointedreinforcement is reached, I then knit by split work, using independent yarns, down to the thereby at each side of the stocking'formin a suture seam extending from the point 1% to the point 6. Desirably the portion 7 is knitted with a still heavier yarn than the portion 5, but both portions 5 and 7 may be knitted with the same yarn, which in eithercase is heavier or contrasts with the yarn from which the tubular portion of the leg and the front of the ankle are knitted. When the point 6 is reached in the knitting I then throw out of action the front half or retaining their loops andthe heel portion 8 is knitted by narrowing and widening in the usual manner, but desirably the entire heel is knitted upon the heel yarn, which is substituted for the yarn by which the portion 7 is knitted or the portions 5 and 7 are knitted. After the heel point 6, I

' widening. The stocking is to knit the upper portion of the leg, and the front ankle portion, but the bottom of the stocking indicated at 10 is desirably knitted from'the same yarn or thread used for the heel, which is preferably a mercerized yarn. Desirably at the end of the upper portion of the foot, I knit circularly upon all the needles to form the portion 11, using the yarn employed for knitting the bottom of the foot, and thereafter I knit the toe pocket 12 in the usual manner for narrowing and desirably knitted of silk excepting as previously stated, the silk being in the gum. After the stocking is knitted, it is preferably boiled to remove the gum from the silk and may be dried upon a forming board. I have stated that the stitches for the gore 5 may be shortened. In addition thereto or instead thereof, I may and preferably do shape the back of' the ankle by cutting out a narrow strip at the extreme back of the portions 5 and 7 to; shape the same, and

then seam up the same by a line of sewing stitches which may terminate at the top of the portion 5, but which as indicated, preferably extends to the top of the stocking, or at least to the top of the silk portion thereof, as a garter top of other material than silk may be made as an integral portion of the stocking. The same constructron of back cut-out and back sewed seam may be employed in the other illustrated forms of my invention, down to a corresponding point.

Instead of beginning the operation at the top of the leg, the operation may be reversed, and the knitting begun upon ,one half the needles extending from a point 13 at the toe around toa corresponding point on the opposite side'and the procedure described is reversed until the horizontal line A-A-14- is reached, whereupon I throw out of action the front half of the needles, 120 in number, in the present example, permitting them to retain their loops, and then I knit by reciprocating knitting upon the remaining half of the needles but narrow at each end of each reciprocating stroke,-,that is,'I throw one needle up-out of action at each end of eachreciprocating stroke but permitting the said needles to retain their loops. This narrowing operation I continue' until at each side of the stocking, I have thrownoutof action 48 needles, thus leaving in action 24 needles. I then immediately bring into action by a single movement of the machine the two groups each, and the front half of the needles, 120 in number, whereupon I continue the knitting upon all the needles but knit by rotary work until the top 1 of the leg is reached.

It will be observed that the tapered line or Scam at each side of the stocking ex-- tending from 3 to-A. corresponds substantially in position with the tapering sides of of 48 needles ,claim the subject matter splice. It will be noted, the present case the seam is an actual narrowthe pointed high however, that in extending from 3 to A ing or Widening seam, and therefore gives a better finish or produces a better effect than in the case of the raw ends of a splicing yarn, severed to remove yarns. The presence of the seam-at each side of the stocking extending from 3 to A and then the presence of the suture seams extending from A to 6 or to 9 enhances the eifect.

D'esirably I change the stitch length when I begin to knit upon the 24 needles according to the first method, shortening the stitches, and When I throw into action the 120 front half of the needles, I resume the knitting thereon with shorter loops. In other words, from the line A-A-A downward, the knitting is effected .by smaller loops, thus making the ankle somewhat tighter. This action is reversed inknitting in accordance with mypresent method. I may and preferably idO use different weights or colors, or both, front and the back of the ankle part, as by using a heavier yarn at the back.

Th'at form of my invention shown in Fig. 2 differs from that shown in Fig. 1 in that the yarn used for knitting the gore 5' is continued down through the narrowed portion of the heel to the line 15, 16, Whereupon another yarn, such for example, as a Inercerized yarn, is substituted, and thereafter the operation is the same as the knitting of the stocking shown in Fig. 1. In knitting the stocking shown in Fig. 2, the operation may commence at the top of the leg or at the toe. The stocking disclosed in Fig. 2 gives a full drop effect.

In that form of my invention shown in Fig. 3, the operation is similar, but a drop heel efl'ect is secured, desirably in the following manner. When the knitting has been continued down to the point A throw out of action the front half of the needles and also a total of 48 needles more, 24 at each side, and then on the remaining needles I widen on each course (one up and two down) .until the instep needles are reached, and I then knit reciprocatingly upon' the front half and the back half of the needles to make the rest by split work. I then narrow and widen to make the heel. Desirably a change is made to the heel yarn at the line 18, 20,

,of Fig. 3 may be commenced at the top of the leg or at the toe.

I do not in this application disclose or disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application S. N. 577,717, namely, a stocking having among the floating of yarn at the of the ankle which is below the top of the heel of a low I other features, a gore at the calf portion and a method of-making the same.

Having thus described one embodiment of my invention, I desire it to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation,

the scope of the invention being set forthmaining by split work upon different yarns,

in the following claims.

- Claims. I

1. A seamless stocking having a circularly knit leg and upper-ankle portion, a gore having tapered edges and integrally formed with the upper ankle portion at the rear of the stocking at substantially the position of a tapered high splice, and, a split work, lower part of which is an immediate continuation of said tapered gore, and a foot.

2. A seamless stocking having a circularly knitupper leg port-ion and an up er ankle portion, a gore having downwar 1y tapering sides at the lower part of the ankle portion at substantially the position of a tapered high splice, and being an integral continuation of the upper ankle portion, a split work, lower ankle portion constituting at the back an integral immediate continuation of said gore and the suture seams thereof joining the tapered seams at the bottom of the gore, and a foot.

3. A seamless stocking having a circularly knit, upper leg portion and an upper ankle portion, a gore having downwardly tapering sides the ankle portion at substantially the position of a tapered high splice, and being an integral continuation of the upper ankle portion, a split work, lower ankle portion constituting at the back an integral immediate continuation of said gore and the suture mains thereof joining the tapered geams at the bottom of the gore, and a split oot.

4. A seamless stocking having a circularly knit, upper leg portion and upper ankle portion, a gore formin a continuation at the rear of the upper ank e portion and having tapered seams extending from near the median rear line of the heel to oints at the ankle about midway between t e front and the back at substantially the position of a tapered high splice, a split work, lower ankle portion formed of separate yarns joined by suture seams at the sides of the stocking commencing at the bottom of the seams of said gore,

kle portions.

5. That method of knitting a stocking comprising knitting a leg and an upper ankle portion by rotary work,then throwing I ankle portion, the rear at the lower part of tion of a tapered said 'sewe and a split foot constituting an in-. tegral continuation of the said leg and ansmall number symmetrically positioned at theback of the leg at substantially the position of the apex of a usual tapered .hi h splice, t1n a gore as an integral continuation, and

*w'i ening at the ends of said reciprocations until the rear half of the needles are; in'

action, then immediately knitting the reportion of the ankle upon all the needles and thereafter knitting the foot.

6. That method of knitting a stocking comprising knitting a leg and an upper ankle portion by rotary work, then throwing out of action the front half of the needles and most of the remaining needles at both sides, thus leaving in action a relatively small number symmetrically positioned at the back of the leg, then knitting by reciprocating knitting a gore as an integral continuation, and widening at the ends of said reciprocations until the rear half of the needles are in action, then immediately knitting the remaining portion of the ankle upon all the needles by split work upon different yarns, and thereafter knitting a foot by split work, the suture seams whereof are a continuation of the suture seams of the lower ankle portion.

7 A seamless stocking havin a circularly knit, leg portion and upper an le portion, a gore composed of additional partial courses then knitting by reciprocating knitof .varying lengths and therefore having tared edges, the said ormed with the upper ankle portion at the rear of the stocking at substantially the posihigh splice, and' a splitwork, lower, ankle portion, the'rear part whereof is an immediate continuation of said gore, and a foot.

8. A seamless stocking having a circularly knit, upper 1e portion and upper ankle portion, a gore orming a continuation at the gore being integrally rear of the upper ankle portion and having tapered seams extending from near the median rear line of the heel to points at the ankle a'bout midway between the front and the back, a split work, lower ankle portion formed of separate yarns joined by suture seams at thesides of the stocking commencing at the bottom of the seams of said gore, ore and lower ankle portion having a d seam at they back, and a split foot constituting an integral continuation of the said leg and ankle portions. 7

9. A seamless stocking having a circularly knit, upper legportion and an'upper ankle portion, a gore composed of additional par tial courses of varyin length and having downwardly taperings1des at the lower part of the ankle portion at substantially the position of a tapered high splice, and being an integral continuation of the upper ankle portion, a split-work, lower ankle'portion constituting at the back an integral imdownwardly. tapering 7 larly knit, upper,

mediate continuation of said gore and the suture seams thereof merging with the tapered seams at the top of the gore, and a oot.

10. A seamless stocking having a circuleg portion and an upper ankle portion, a gore composed of additional partial courses of varying length and having sides at the lower 'part of the ankle portion, said gore being an. in tegral continuation of the upper ankle portion, a split-work, lower, ankle portion constituting atthe back an integral immediate continuation of said gore, and the suture seams thereof merging with the tapered seams at the top of the gore, and a split foot.

11. A seamless stocking having a circu larly knit, upper leg ankle portion, a gore composed of additional partial courses of varying length and forming a continuation at the rear of the upper ankle portion and having tapered seams extending from near the median rear line of the heel to points at the ankle about midway between the front and the back, at substantially the position-of a tapered high splice a split-work, lower ankle portion formed 0 separate yarns joined by suture seams at the sides of the stocking. commencing atthe bottom of the seams of said gore, and a split foot constituting an integral continuation of the said leg and ankle portions.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this s ecification. I

G ORGE P. BOSWORTH.

portion and an upper 

